According to the present invention, refresh operation of a device employing a plural refresh cycle scheme is controlled. The refresh scheme employed by the device performs a plurality of refresh cycles of a predetermined quantity in response to a command initiating a refresh operation to maintain data storage. The present invention includes a mode generator that supplies information relating to a desired quantity of refresh cycles to be performed in response to the refresh initiating command and a refresh enable unit that controls the device to perform the desired quantity of refresh cycles within the refresh scheme in response to the refresh initiating command.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus to control refresh operation of a device employing a plural refresh cycle scheme, wherein said refresh scheme performs a plurality of refresh cycles of a predetermined quantity in response to a command initiating a refresh operation to maintain data storage, said apparatus comprising: a mode generator to supply information indicating a desired quantity of refresh cycles to be performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and a refresh enable unit to control said device to perform said desired quantity of refresh cycles within said refresh scheme in response to said refresh initiating command.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles is selectable by said mode generator and is one of a single refresh cycle and said predetermined quantity of refresh cycles, and said refresh enable unit controls said device to perform said selected refresh cycles in accordance with said desired quantity.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein: said mode generator supplies a refresh enable signal to control generation of internal refresh commands, each internal refresh command initiating a refresh cycle; and said refresh enable unit includes a logic unit to control generation of said internal refresh commands in accordance with said refresh enable signal and identification of said refresh initiating command to enable performance of said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said refresh initiating command.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said mode generator and refresh enable unit control said device to perform said single refresh cycle in response to said refresh initiating command within a device test mode.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said device includes a dynamic memory.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said refresh initiating command includes an auto-refresh command.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles includes the quantities within the range from one to the predetermined quantity of refresh cycles.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein: said mode generator supplies said desired quantity of refresh cycles; and said refresh enable unit includes: a compare unit to compare said desired quantity of refresh cycles to a quantity of refresh cycles performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and a logic unit to control performance of internal refresh commands in accordance with said comparison, wherein each internal refresh command initiates a refresh cycle to perform said plural refresh cycles within said refresh scheme, and wherein said logic unit disables said internal refresh commands in response to said comparison indicating said desired quantity of refresh cycles has been performed.
9. An apparatus to control refresh operation of a device employing a plural refresh cycle scheme, wherein said refresh scheme performs a plurality of refresh cycles of a predetermined quantity in response to a command initiating a refresh operation to maintain data storage, said apparatus comprising: mode generator means for supplying information indicating a desired quantity of refresh cycles to be performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and refresh enable means for controlling said device to perform said desired quantity of refresh cycles within said refresh scheme in response to said refresh initiating command.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles is selectable by said mode generator and is one of a single refresh cycle and said predetermined quantity of refresh cycles, and said refresh enable means includes control means for controlling said device to perform said selected refresh cycles in accordance with said desired quantity.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein: said mode generator means supplies a refresh enable signal to control generation of internal refresh commands, each internal refresh command initiating a refresh cycle; and said refresh enable means includes logic means for controlling generation of said internal refresh commands in accordance with said refresh enable signal and identification of said refresh initiating command to enable performance of said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said refresh initiating command.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said mode generator means and refresh enable means control said device to perform said single refresh cycle in response to said refresh initiating command within a device test mode.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said device includes a dynamic memory.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said refresh initiating command includes an auto-refresh command.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles includes the quantities within the range from one to the predetermined quantity of refresh cycles.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein: said mode generator means supplies said desired quantity of refresh cycles; and said refresh enable means includes: compare means for comparing said desired quantity of refresh cycles to a quantity of refresh cycles performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and logic means for controlling performance of internal refresh commands in accordance with said comparison, wherein each internal refresh command initiates a refresh cycle to perform said plural refresh cycles within said refresh scheme, and wherein said logic means disables said internal refresh commands in response to said comparison indicating said desired quantity of refresh cycles has been performed.
17. A method of controlling refresh operation of a device employing a plural refresh cycle scheme, wherein said refresh scheme performs a plurality of refresh cycles of a predetermined quantity in response to a command initiating a refresh operation to maintain data storage, said method comprising: supplying information indicating a desired quantity of refresh cycles to be performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and controlling said device to perform said desired quantity of refresh cycles within said refresh scheme in response to said refresh initiating command.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles is selectable by said mode generator and is one of a single refresh cycle and said predetermined quantity of refresh cycles, and said method further includes controlling said device to perform said selected refresh cycles in accordance with said desired quantity.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein: said supplied information includes a refresh enable signal to control generation of internal refresh commands, each internal refresh command initiating a refresh cycle; and said method further includes controlling generation of said internal refresh commands in accordance with said refresh enable signal and identification of said refresh initiating command to enable performance of said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said refresh initiating command.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein said method further includes controlling said device to perform said single refresh cycle in response to said refresh initiating command within a device test mode.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein said device includes a dynamic memory.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein said refresh initiating command includes an auto-refresh command.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles includes the quantities within the range from one to the predetermined quantity of refresh cycles.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said supplied information includes said desired quantity of refresh cycles, and said method further includes: comparing said desired quantity of refresh cycles to a quantity of refresh cycles performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and controlling performance of internal refresh commands in accordance with said comparison, wherein each internal refresh command initiates a refresh cycle to perform said plural refresh cycles within said refresh scheme, and wherein said internal refresh commands are disabled in response to said comparison indicating said desired quantity of refresh cycles has been performed.
25. A device including a storage unit and employing a refresh scheme to maintain data storage, wherein said refresh scheme performs a plurality of refresh cycles of a predetermined quantity in response to a command initiating a refresh operation and said device controls the quantity of refresh cycles performed within that scheme in response to said refresh initiating command, said device comprising: a storage unit to store data, wherein said storage unit is refreshed to maintain said data; a decoder to decode received commands and identify said refresh initiating command; an internal refresh command generator to generate internal refresh commands, each initiating a refresh cycle, to perform plural refresh cycles within said refresh scheme; a row address block to initiate a refresh operation in response to at least one of said identified refresh initiating command and said internal refresh command; a refresh control circuit, responsive to said row control block, to refresh said storage unit; a mode generator to supply information indicating a desired quantity of refresh cycles to be performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and a refresh enable unit to control said refresh scheme to perform said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said identified refresh initiating command.
26. The device of claim 25 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles is selectable by said mode generator and is one of a single refresh cycle and said predetermined quantity of refresh cycles, and said refresh enable unit controls said device to perform said selected refresh cycles in accordance with said desired quantity.
27. The device of claim 26 , wherein: said mode generator supplies a refresh enable signal to control generation of said internal refresh commands by said internal refresh command generator; and said refresh enable unit includes a logic unit to control said internal command generator to generate said internal refresh commands in accordance with said refresh enable signal and said identified refresh initiating command to enable performance of said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said identified refresh initiating command.
28. The device of claim 26 , wherein said refresh enable unit controls said refresh scheme to perform said single refresh cycle in response to said refresh initiating command within a device test mode.
29. The device of claim 25 , wherein said device includes a dynamic memory.
30. The device of claim 25 , wherein said refresh initiating command includes an auto-refresh command.
31. The device of claim 25 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles includes the quantities within the range from one to the predetermined quantity of refresh cycles.
32. The device of claim 31 , wherein: said mode generator supplies said desired quantity of refresh cycles; and said refresh enable unit includes: a compare unit to compare said desired quantity of refresh cycles to a quantity of refresh cycles performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and a logic unit to control performance of said internal refresh commands generated by said internal refresh command generator in accordance with said comparison, wherein said logic unit disables said internal refresh commands in response to said comparison indicating said desired quantity of refresh cycles has been performed.
33. A device including a storage unit and employing a refresh scheme to maintain data storage, wherein said refresh scheme performs a plurality of refresh cycles of a predetermined quantity in response to a command initiating a refresh operation and said device controls the quantity of refresh cycles performed within that scheme in response to said refresh initiating command, said device comprising: storage means for storing data, wherein said storage means is refreshed to maintain said data; command means for decoding received commands and identifying said refresh initiating command; command generator means for generating internal refresh commands, each initiating a refresh cycle, to perform plural refresh cycles within said refresh scheme; refresh control means for initiating a refresh operation in response to at least one of said identified refresh initiating command and said internal refresh command; refresh means, responsive to said refresh control means, for refreshing said storage means; mode generator means for supplying information indicating a desired quantity of refresh cycles to be performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and refresh enable means for controlling said refresh scheme to perform said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said identified refresh initiating command.
34. The device of claim 33 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles is selectable by said mode generator and is one of a single refresh cycle and said predetermined quantity of refresh cycles, and said refresh enable means controls said refresh scheme to perform said selected refresh cycles in accordance with said desired quantity.
35. The device of claim 34 , wherein: said mode generator means supplies a refresh enable signal to control generation of said internal refresh commands by said command generator means; and said refresh enable means includes logic means for controlling said command generator means to generate said internal refresh commands in accordance with said refresh enable signal and said identified refresh initiating command to enable performance of said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said identified refresh initiating command.
36. The device of claim 34 , wherein said refresh enable means controls said refresh scheme to perform said single refresh cycle in response to said refresh initiating command within a device test mode.
37. The device of claim 33 , wherein said device includes a dynamic memory.
38. The device of claim 33 , wherein said refresh initiating command includes an auto-refresh command.
39. The device of claim 33 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles includes the quantities within the range from one to the predetermined quantity of refresh cycles.
40. The device of claim 39 , wherein: said mode generator means supplies said desired quantity of refresh cycles; and said refresh enable means includes: compare means for comparing said desired quantity of refresh cycles to a quantity of refresh cycles performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and logic means for controlling performance of said internal refresh commands generated by said command generator means in accordance with said comparison, wherein said logic means disables said internal refresh commands in response to said comparison indicating said desired quantity of refresh cycles has been performed.
41. A method of controlling a device to perform a desired quantity of refresh cycles within a plural cycle refresh scheme in response to a command initiating a refresh operation, wherein said device includes a storage unit and employs a refresh scheme to maintain data storage, and wherein said refresh scheme performs a plurality of refresh cycles of a predetermined quantity in response to said refresh initiating command, said method comprising: storing data within said storage unit, wherein said storage unit is refreshed to maintain said data; supplying information indicating a desired quantity of refresh cycles to be performed in response to said refresh initiating command; decoding received commands and identifying said refresh initiating command; generating internal refresh commands, each initiating a refresh cycle, to perform plural refresh cycles within said refresh scheme for said identified refresh initiating command; initiating a refresh operation in response to at least one of said identified refresh initiating command and said internal refresh command; and controlling said refresh scheme to perform said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said identified refresh initiating command.
42. The method of claim 41 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles is selectable by said mode generator and is one of a single refresh cycle and said predetermined quantity of refresh cycles, and said method further includes controlling said refresh scheme to perform said selected refresh cycles in accordance with said desired quantity.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein: said supplied information includes a refresh enable signal to control generation of said internal refresh commands; and said method further includes controlling generation of said internal refresh commands in accordance with said refresh enable signal and said identified refresh initiating command to enable performance of said desired quantity of refresh cycles in response to said identified refresh initiating command.
44. The method of claim 42 , wherein said method further includes controlling said refresh scheme to perform said single refresh cycle in response to said refresh initiating command within a device test mode.
45. The method of claim 41 , wherein said device includes a dynamic memory.
46. The method of claim 41 , wherein said refresh initiating command includes an auto-refresh command.
47. The method of claim 41 , wherein said desired quantity of refresh cycles includes the quantities within the range from one to the predetermined quantity of refresh cycles.
48. The method of claim 47 , wherein: said supplied information includes said desired quantity of refresh cycles; and said method further includes: comparing said desired quantity of refresh cycles to a quantity of refresh cycles performed in response to said refresh initiating command; and controlling performance of said internal refresh commands in accordance with said comparison, wherein said internal refresh commands are disabled in response to said comparison indicating said desired quantity of refresh cycles has been performed.
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December 19, 2003
May 9, 2006
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